Feed mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like



Jan. 27, 11953 G. B. MARSDEN FEED MECHANISM FOR NIPPLE THREADINGMACHINES AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 23 1951 J I e; w W. m

ATTORNEY x u. s

Jane 27, 1953 G. B. MARSDEN 2,626,409

\ FEED MECHANISM FOR NIPPLE THREADING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb.23 1951 s Sheets-Sheet z IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNE).

3am 51953 G. B. MARSDEN ,626,409

FEED MECHANISM FOR NIPPLE THREADING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23,1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

TTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 27, 1953 FEED MECHANISM FOR NIPPLE THREADING MACHINES ANDTHE LIKE George B. Marsden, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago NippleManufacturing Company, Cicero, 111., a corporation of DelawareApplication February 23, 1951, Serial No. 212,355

10 Claims.

present invention provides an improvement in this mechanism to enableready adjustment thereof for different thread pitches.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a feedmechanism in which the work is fed positively and which can easily beadjusted to vary the feed rate.

Another object is to provide a feed mechanism in which the feedingmovement is provided by a screw and nut device connected to the worksupporting carriage through an adjustable linkage which can easily beadjusted to vary the rate of movement of the work feed relative tomovement of the screw and nut device.

According to one feature of the invention, the linkage includes apositively moved slide which is connected to a connecting head formoving the carriage through levers having pivots adjustable along thelength thereof, the entire mechanism being extremely compact and readilyaccessible for adjustment.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morereadily apparent from the following description when read in connectionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a partial plan View, with parts omitted for the sake ofclarity, of a nipple threading machine having a feed mechanism embodyingthe invention;

Figure 2 is a partial end elevation with parts in section, looking fromthe right in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged partial section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the mechanism of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

The nipple threading machine, as partially illustrated in Figure 1comprises a frame or base Ill which may be a table-like constructionsupported at a convenient height above the floor and carrying the entiremechanism. A pair of rotatable cutter heads, such as conventional nipplethreading heads H, are mounted :on the frame on parallel axes and areadapted to be driven through a common power mechanism by means ofsprockets [2 connected through sprocket chains to the power mechanism.In this way the threading heads will be driven at the same speedsimultaneously to perform threading operations on nipple blanks.

At its opposite end, the frame is formed with guideways l3 on'whic'hacarriage partially shown at I 4 is slidable toward and away from theheads. The carriage may carry chucks for holding the work pieces and forfeeding the work pieces into the threading head as it is moved towardthem.

As more particularly described in my co-pending application Serial No.187,091, the carriage is moved by a rotatable cam I4 lying below the topof the frame and engaging a cam follower roller I5. It will be notedthat the cam cornprises "both internal and external cam surfaces so thatas it rotates, it will advance the carriage toward the heads during thefirst half revolution and will move the carriage away from the headsduring the next half revolution. The cam is preferably driven in halfrevolution steps through an intermittent drive mechanism driving a shaftI E which is connected to the cam through a sprocket chain H.

The cam follower i5 is carried by a slide 18 which is slidablelongitudinally on the frame toward and away from the heads. The slide 18carries upwardly extending pins 19 which fit slidably into elongatedslots in a pair of levers 2| which are pivoted at their outer ends tofixed pivots 22 adjacent to the sides of the frame. At their inner ends,the levers are formed with elongated slots 23 which fit over a pin 24connected to the carriage. With this mechanism, as the slide is moved bythe cam, it will provide a multiple movement of the pin 24 and thecarriage so that a relatively small cam can be employed to impart arelatively large movement to the carriage.

When the carriage is in its forward position toward the heads, the workpieces are held adjacent it but spaced slightly from the heads so thatthey will not be cut. The initial feeding movement of the carriage tothis position is performed rapidly by the cam and a final positive feedis then imparted to the carriage to feed the work pieces accurately intothe heads at a controlled positive rate. For this purpose, the

. carriage carries a coupling rod 25 having a cross pin at its outer endwhich is adapted to enter a bayonet type coupling sleeve 26 to beconnected thereto. The sleeve 26 is moved by the positive slow feedmechanism to feed the work pieces accurately into the heads at a ratesynchronized with the rate of rotation of the heads for accuratethreading operations.

The slow feed mechanism, as shown, comprises a positive feed devicemounted on the frame and driven at a synchronized rate. As illustrated,the feed device includes an annular internally threaded nut 21 which ismounted in a bracket on the frame for rotation and to be held againstaxial movement. The nut is connected to a sprocket 29, as best seen inFigure 5, which is driven through a sprocket chain from a sprocket 3| onthe frame. The sprocket 3| is connected through a clutch 32 to asprocket 33 which is drivably connected to a sprocket 34 which is inturn driven by one of the sprockets I 2. In this way, when the clutch isengaged, a sprocket 29 and nut 21 are driven at a rate of speed accuratey s nchronized with the rotation of the threading heads. The clutch 32is normally disengaged and is en aged by moving inwardly an operatingrod 35 which is connected to one end of a bell crank lever 36. Theopposite end of the bell crank lever is connected through a link 31 to afluid motor 38 which will swing the bell crank lever c ockwise to engagethe cl tch and co nter-clockwise to disen age the clutch at the end of athreading operation.

The nut 27 threadablv en a es a screw -19 hich is mounted therein orlongitudinal mo ement toward and a ay from the heads. The screw 39 isconnected to a slide 4| which is slidably mounted on the frame forlongitudinal movement and which is connected to the nut 39 to hold it aainst rotation and to move longitudinally with it. As best seen inFigures 3 and 5. the slide 4! is slidably mounted in a do etailed slotin a su porting plate 42 which is rigidly secured to the frame l0.

According to the present invention. the slide is connected to thecoupling member 26 through an adjustable linkage which can be adjustedto provide different rates of movement of the coupling member 26relative to movement of the slide. As best seen in Figures 3-5, thismechanism comprises a pair of U-shaped levers 43 pivotally supported attheir centers on vertical pivots 44 secured in the outer ends of thesupport 42 at the sides of the slide. The slide is formed with laterallyprojecting arms 45, spaced above the supporting plate 42 and the lowerlegs 46 of the levers 43 underlie the arms 45. Pivotal connectionsbetween the legs 46 and arms 45 are provided by pins 41 extendingthrough slightly elongated slots in the legs 46 and secured to the arms45. A yoke shaped connector plate 48 is mounted with the ends of itsyokes lying between the u per surfaces of the arms 45 and the up er legs49 of the levers 43. The ends of the yoke sha ed connector plate 48 areformed with a series of threaded o enings 5| to receive pivot pins 52which extend through elongated slots in the upper legs 49 of the levers.Preferably the pins 52 are headed to overlie the levers and to hold themagainst the connector plate to assist in supporting the connector plate.It will be seen that by placing the pivot pins 52 in different ones ofthe sockets 5|, the movement of the connector plate releative to theslide can easily be adjusted to roduce different feed rates.

The connector plate, as best. seen in Figure 1, is connected through aswivel 53 to a pinion 54 to which the coupling 26 is rigidly secured.The pinion 54 is provided to turn the coupling 26 to engage it with thecoupling rod 25 or to disengage it therefrom through the pin and slotelements. For this purpose, the link 31 carries a rack 55 meshing withthe pinion 54 so that whenever the motor 38 is energized to move thelink 31 and the bell crank 36 it will turn the coupling element 26.

In operation of the mechanism, the parts will be in the position shownin Figure l at the beginning of a threading operation. Assuming thatwork pieces are held in chucks on the carriage, the cam I4 will beturned through one half revolution to advance the carriage to a positionadjacent the threading heads and will then stop. At this time, the motor38 will be energized to rock the bell crank 36 clockwise, thereby toengage the clutch 32 and at the same time will turn the pinion 24 andcoupling member 26 to connect the coupling member 26 to the couplingmember 25. With the clutch 32 engaged, the nut 21 will be driven at aspeed synchronized with the speed of the threading heads and will movethe screw 39 longitudinally to the right to move the carriage furthertoward the cutting heads to effect a threading of the work pieces. Therate of movement of the carriage will be determined by the position ofthe pins 52 and can be adjusted by moving the pins 52 to thread workpieces of different standard pitches. It will be seen that thisoperation can be performed very easily and quick ly so that by merelychanging the threading heads and ad usting the pins 52, the machine canbe set for different threading operations.

At the completion of the threading operation, the motor 38 will again beenergized in the opposite direction to disconnect the coupling 26 fromthe pin 25 and to disengage the clutch 32. At the same time the cam Mwill again be driven through an additional one half revolution to returnto the position illustrated and to move the carriage away from thethreading heads.

The screw and nut mechanism is returned to its position ready for asubsequent operation by a rack 56, as shown in Figure 2, which mesheswith a pinion 5! on a short stub shaft carried by the sprocket 29. Therack 56 is connected to a weight 58 which tends to move it downward sothat when the clutch 32 is disconnected, the forces of gravity on theWeight 58 acting on the rack and pinion will turn the sprocket 29 andnut 21 in the reverse direction to the initial position illustrated inthe drawings. Thus the mechanism is reset for a subsequent threadingoperation.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, itis not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention,reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the likehaving a frame, feed means comprising a device mounted on the frame toproduce a lineal movement, a slide slidably mounted on the frame andconnected to the device to be moved thereby, a lever pivoted on theframe and having a pivotal connection with the slide to be swung therebyas the slide is moved and a connector member having a pivotal connectionwith the lever and adapted to be connected to a carriage to move it, oneof the pivotal connections being adjustable lengthwise of the lever tovary the rate of movement of the connector member relative to the rateof movement of the device.

2. In a feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the likehavinga frame, feed'meansr comprising :a device mountedon the. frame :toproduce: a lineal: movementa '.slide:slidably .i2 mounted on the frameand connected: to qtheia.

wise of the levers to vary the rate of movementof the connectorplaterelative to the rate of movement of the a device.

3. In a feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the likehaving a frame, feed means comprising a device mounted on the frame toproduce a lineal movement, a slide slidably mounted on the frame andconnected to the device to be moved thereby, a pair of U-shaped leverspivoted on the frame at their centers at opposite sides of the slide andextending toward the slide, pivotal connections between the slide andone leg of each of the levers, a connector plate lying between the legsof the levers, and

pivotal connections between the connector plate and the other legs ofthe levels, the pivotal connections with one leg of each lever beingadjustable lengthwise of the lever to vary the rate of movement of theconnector plate relative to the rate of movement of the device.

4. In a feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the likehaving a frame, feed means comprising a device mounted on the frame toproduce a lineal movement, a slide slidably mounted on the frame andconnected to the device to be moved thereby, laterally projecting armson the slide spaced above the frame, a pair of U-shaped levers pivotedat their centers on vertical axes at opposite sides of the slide withtheir lower legs underlying and pivotally connected to the arms, aconnector plate lying between the arms and the upper legs of the levers,the connector plate having a series of openings therein to receive pivotpins at points spaced lengthwise of the levers and the upper legs of thelevers having elongated slots therein registering with the series ofopenings.

5. In a feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the likehaving a frame and a rotatable cutting head on the frame, feed meanscom-prising screw and nut members threaded together, mean-s mounting oneof said members on the frame for rotation, means to hold the othermember against rotation, one of the members being held against axialmovement on the frame and the other being mounted for axial movement,means to drive the rotatably mounted member in synchronism with therotatable head, a linkage on the frame connected to the axially movablemember to be moved thereby, a connector carried by the linkage to beshifted thereby, and adjusting means in the linkage to adjust the rateof movement of the connector relative to the rate of movement of theaxially movable member.

6. In a feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like anda rotatable cutting head on the frame, feed means comprising screw andnut members threaded together, means mounting one of said members on theframe for rotation, means to hold the other member against rotation, oneof the members being held against axial movement on the frame and theother being mounted for axial movement, means to drive the rotatablymounted member in synchronism with? thez'rotatable head; 'a slideslidable ;on; the.

frame-and: :connected to the; axially movable member; toxbet movedthereby;- levers pivoted on:: the frame and having. pivotal connectionswith... the slide and'v a connector plate overlappingthev levers andhaving: pivotal-connections therewith, .1 one'aof the pivotal.connections with each, lever being adjustable lengthwise of the leverto vary the rate ."of movement of "the connector plate relative totheratei of movementof the'slide;v

7. Feeding :mechani'sm'for nipple threading"; machines and the likecomprising a frame, a.ro-' tatable lcuttingirheadfon'ztheframe, :acarriage .on r: the? frame :movable toward. and awayifrom the;

cutting head, a feed device mounted on the frame and drivably connectedto the cutting head to produce a lineal movement proportional to therotation of the cutting head, a connector member including means toconnect it to the carriage to move the carriage toward the head, a slideon the frame connected to the feed device to be slid thereby, leverspivoted on the frame and having pivotal connections with the slide, andpivotal connections between the levers and the connector member, one ofthe pivotal connections with each lever being adjustable lengthwise ofthe lever to vary the rate of movement of the connector member andcarriage relative to the rate of movement of the feed device and slide.

8. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the likecomp-rising a frame, a rotatable cutting head on the frame, a carriageon the frame movable toward and away from the cutting head, a feeddevice mounted on the frame and drivably connected to the cutting headto produce a lineal movement proportional to the rotation of the cuttinghead, a connector member including means to connect it to the carriageto move the carriage toward the head, a slide on the frame connected tothe feed device to be slid thereby, laterally projecting arms on theslide spaced above the frame, a pair of U-shaped levers pivoted at theircenters on vertical pivots at opposite sides of the slide with theirlower legs underlying and pivotally connected to the arms, the connectormember lying between the arms and the upper legs of the levers, theupper legs of the levers having elongated slots therein registering withthe connector members, and a pivot pin extending through the slot ineach of the upper legs and connectible to the connector member in anyone of a plurality of spaced positions to adjust the movement of theconnector member relative to the slide.

9. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the likecomprising a frame, a rotatable cutting head on the frame, a carriage onthe frame movable toward and away from the head, a nut mounted on theframe for rotation but held against axial movement, means drivablyconnecting the nut to the head to turn the nut at a speed proportionalto the speed of the head, a screw threaded in the nut, a slide on theframe connected to the screw to hold it against rotation whereby thescrew and slide will be moved as the nut turns, a connector memberconnected to the carriage to move the carriage and an adjustable linkageconnected to both the connector member and the slide to transmitmovement therebetween and adjustable to vary the rate of movement of theconnector member relative to the rate of movement of the slide.

10. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the likecomprising a frame, a rotatable cutting head on the frame, a carriage on7 the frame movable toward and away from the head, a nut mounted on theframe for rotation but held against axial movement, means driv-ablyconnecting the nut to the head to turn the nut at a speed proportionalto the speed of the head, a screw threaded in the nut, a slide on theframe connected to the screw to hold it against rotation whereby thescrew and slide will be moved as the nut turns, a connector memberhaving means to connect it to the carriage, a pair of levers pivoted onthe frame at the sides of the slide and having pivotal connections withthe slide, and pivotal connections between the levers and the connectormember, one of the pivotal connections to GEORGE B. MARSDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,548,937 Bodmer Apr. 17, 19512,561,992 Bruitt July 24, 1951

